Part 21 (2/2)

”Dear teacher, I'm sorry I whispered, but I'm going to help you to-day, and not talk.”

And Bawly didn't. It was quite hard in school that day, but at last it was over. And, just when the children were going home, the robin lady teacher said:

”Boys and girls, you have all helped me very much to-day by being good, and I thank you. And something else helped me. It was these flowers that Bawly brought me, for they remind me of the woods where I used to play when I was a little girl,” and then she smelled of the flowers, and Bawly saw something like two drops of water fall from the teacher's eyes right into one of the Jacks-in-the-pulpit. I wonder if it was water?

And then school was over and all the children ran out to play and Bawly thought he never had had so much fun in all his life as when he and Bully and some of the others had a ball game, and Bawly knocked a fine home run.

Now, in case the cuckoo clock doesn't fall down off the wall and spatter the rice pudding all over the parlor carpet, I'll tell you in the story after this one about Bully and Sammie Littletail.

STORY XXVIII

BULLY AND SAMMIE LITTLETAIL

One day when the nice young lady robin school teacher, about whom I told you last night, called the roll of her cla.s.s, to see if all the animal children were there, Samuel Littletail, the rabbit boy, didn't answer.

”Why, I wonder where Sammie can be?” asked the teacher. ”Has anyone seen him this morning?”

They all shook their heads, and Bully No-Tail, the frog boy, answered:

”If you please, teacher, perhaps his sister, Susie, knows.”

”Oh, of course! Why didn't I think to ask her?” said the teacher. So she looked over on the girls' side of the room, but, would you believe it?

Susie, the rabbit girl, wasn't there either.

”That is very odd,” said the teacher, ”both Sammie and Susie out! I hope they haven't the epizootic, or the mumps, or carrot fever, or anything like that. Well, we'll go on with our lessons, and perhaps they will come in later.”

So the first thing the pupils did was to sing a little song, and though I can't make up very nice ones, I'll do the best I can to give you an idea of it. This is how it went, to the tune, ”Tum-Tum-Tum, Tiddle De-um!”

Good morning! How are you?

We hope you're quite well.

We're feeling most jolly, So hark to us spell.

C-A and a T, with A dot on the eye.

Makes cat, dog or rat, Or a bird in the sky.

Take two and two more.

What have you? 'Tis five!

What? Four? Oh, of course, See the B in the hive.

Now sing the last verse, Ah, isn't it pretty?

We're glad that you like Our dear little kittie.

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